Hey everyone! I just bought my first house, which is a 1970s beauty, and I'm looking to repaint the open plan living and dining area. Currently, the walls are covered in wallpaper that has been painted over, and I've received two different quotes from plasterers. One insists I strip the wallpaper first, which I'm leaning towards since I'm on a budget, while the other suggests I can just skim over the wallpaper because it's in decent shape, despite some bubbling that's already happening. I tested a patch and managed to remove it with just a scraper, so I'm wondering: should I go ahead and take off all the wallpaper, or can I trust the second guy's advice? Any pros and cons or personal experiences would really help. Thanks in advance from a newbie in DIY!
2 Answers
I totally get where you're coming from! I've been in similar situations before. Always go for the right method and remove the wallpaper. It can be a pain, but skipping this step often leads to bigger issues down the line. If it's bubbling now, just imagine what it'll be like once you paint over it! Plus, it gives you a fresh start to really clean those walls before you dive into painting.
Definitely remove the wallpaper! The bubbling indicates that the glue is failing, and if it's already coming off easily, you'll be better off tackling it now rather than later. I recently did this project in my bathroom and used a steamer—it made the process so much smoother! Trust me, you'll thank yourself later when there's no risk of the paint peeling off after you've done all that hard work.
Exactly! It’s worth the extra effort to do it properly. Who wants to deal with peeling paint later?